Customer Reviews

Wicked Intentions (Signet Eclipse)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have enjoyed Lydia Joyce's historical romances in the past, especially their flirtation with the dark side of a character's emotions. I enjoy her prose and her distinctive voice. However, I was more than a little uncomfortable reading this book. If frankly felt more like an erotic thriller, and NOT like a romance.

At the risk of spoiling, the first sexual encounter between the characters was in the first quarter of the book and literally made my jaw drop. Is it rape when the female lead decides to surrender her body willingly, hoping to distract the male lead and having taken preventative measures against pregnancy, only to be taken anally against her will?

That scene lingered in my mind throughout the book. As much as I thought she gave depth and meaning to both lead characters, I couldn't leave that act of violence and submission behind.

Plot Summary: A mysteriously veiled woman named Esmeralda has been entertaining London's aristocrats with her visions and readings. Thomas Hyde, Viscount Varcourt, becomes alarmed when Esmeralda sinks her hooks into his mother, who has never been the same since her eldest son's death. Thomas has been living under a presumption of guilt regarding his brother's death, and while harassing Esmeralda he strikes an odd bargain with her; she'll use her powers of persuasion to discover the truth about the boy's death in exchange for a reprieve from Thomas's persecution.

Historical romances are often guilty of following a predictable script, and it's one of my main beefs against them, however I know that I'm in for a treat when they can surprise me. This one is going to stand out in my mind for its raw, shocking intensity, and I give Lydia Joyce props for writing a very adult story. Other reviewers have already given spoilers about the sex scenes, but frankly I'm tired of reading cookie-cutter love scenes where sex is broken down into choreographed dance steps. I couldn't predict what was coming next, and yes, some of it shocked me, but I'll take that feeling over boredom any day. Granted, the sex is of a kinky and controlling nature, so fans who like more traditional love scenes may want to steer clear.

The attraction and antagonism between Thomas and Esmeralda ("Em") kept building through the book, and it hung on until the very end. This couple never settles into the cozy love-nest mode that I see in most romances, and it keeps everything unsettled and agitated. Since they can't trust each other, it's the sex that binds them and overcomes the doubts in their minds. Normally I'm not a fan of romances that take this backward approach, but I must admit that it works well with the story.

I was impressed by Em's razor-sharp mind. She's a genius at reading people and manipulating them like puppets, but I don't hold it against her since impoverished gentlewomen had no honest means of supporting themselves. Em is a gusty survivor, which I always appreciate in a heroine.

Thomas came across as conflicted, ever-suspicious, and hungry for Em. He's one of those broody types who never cracks a joke or a smile, and given his childhood as the spare who took care of the heir, it makes sense. His brother was first in line, but he was an extreme autistic savant (I'm playing doctor here; those symptoms seem to fit my diagnosis), and so Thomas grew up with the heavy burden of watching over his older brother. It would make anyone old and bitter before their time.

I was deeply immersed in this story and I didn't come up for air until the end, so in my book this rates as very good.

Thomas Hyde, Viscount Varcourt, is still haunted by the death of his brother Harry after all these years. The ton blamed Thomas for the death, even though he had nothing to do with it. He was only a young boy then, and his older brother Harry was `special'; he had an incredible mind but could not function in society. He was shunned and kept in the nursery. The one day he was let out during a house party, he was found dead in a stream. Because Thomas left Harry by that stream to fend for himself, he feels incredible guilt. His mother, Lady Hamilton, barely makes it day to day because of the loss. She goes through life bereft, looking for a reason to live. She may have finally found the one person who can help her. Her name is Esmeralda, and she is the toast of the ton for she can speak with the dead and can help Lady Hamilton find peace.

Thomas knows Esmeralda is a con and he will find out why she has targeted his mother. He would love nothing more then to place his hands around her veiled covered face and squeeze the life out of her; but because he also lusts after her, he would also like to lie in between her thighs. She is an enigma and an enemy, a puzzle he will solve, even if he must plunder and force himself upon her to make her tell him all her secrets.

Esmeralda is indeed playing a game and a ruse in order to ruin her half-brother who denied her existence and what was rightfully hers. She will make him pay and then disappear forever. But her plans are ruined as Varcourt stalks her, wanting answers from her lying lips. She will use her body as payment for his silence. Varcourt will take Esmeralda's body, willing or not, plus her promise to find out what happened to his brother the day he died. Esmeralda has no choice but to do what Varcourt wants because the man she wants revenge against may also be the one Varcourt is looking for.

Wicked Intentions is a dark and disturbing gothic set in Regency England. This is a tale that has a great deal of violence in its pages, and I am not just talking about murder. The violence is what Varcourt does to Esmeralda. Because Varcourt has such seething anger towards Esmeralda, he brutally forces her to have sex with him. Some may have different interpretations of the first sex scene between these two, but from my standpoint, Varcourt forces himself into Esmeralda's home, throws her on the bed, and after she taunts him, he roughly has sex with her. Yes, she makes her body respond, but his actions are of the worst kind. Not only does he do this once, but then he kidnaps Esmeralda, ties her to his bed, slaps her across the face because she hurls insults at him and then he has sex with her again. Esmeralda does respond to Varcourt, but only because if she didn't, Varcourt would be the worst type of abuser, the type of hero we are so used to reading about years ago when they didn't have a care for the heroine, other then to plunder her to his will. Varcourt does that here in great detail.

I wasn't sure what Lydia was trying to accomplish with the underlying violence, both in words and actions between Varcourt and Esmeralda. These two didn't have any chemistry that I could find appealing, and Varcourt's opinion and actions against Esmeralda made for very uncomfortable reading. At least I could understand Esmeralda's plans of revenge, and her own story was fascinating. But the moment she is forced to help Varcourt find his brother's killer, I found that to be just too much. It seemed to me that the plot with Varcourt's brother was added on to give the story more of a mystery, as well as to try and explain Varcourt's motivations. Unfortunately, I lost all interest in Varcourt's motivations the moment he forced himself into Esmeralda's body and life.

Lydia Joyce can write some fabulous gothic historicals. Wicked Intentions does have a gothic feel but it was lacking so much form what I usually find and enjoy in her work.

Katiebabs

This is the first novel I've read by Lydia Joyce. I don't mind a little darkness in the plot, but there was a lot more obsession than romance or mystery in this one. Even the "love" scenes were disturbing. If you're looking for a great revenge book, try Kasey Michaels' A Masquerade in the Moonlight. That one is a keeper.

I have read and loved every one one of Lydia Joyce's gothic romance novels. Having said that, I will explain that these novels are not your typical romance fare. They are dark, deep, sometimes disturbing stories about people who are forced to survive in a repressive, often cruel period in time-the Victorian era.

In this story, Em, who calls herself Esmerelda and pretends to be a spiritualist to make her living, is challenged by the son of one of her sponsers-Thomas Hyde, Viscount Varcourt. Esmerelda knows her game, however, and is willing and prepared to try and turn the tables on Thomas-even if that means using her sexuality to control the relationship.

I didn't see Em as a victim, but rather a strong woman who is very attracted to the strength and power of the Viscount, but is reluctant to be a pawn to him. She pushes his buttons, knowing what he will do, but she is not afraid of him. Every encounter between them was partly due to her scheming-it's a toss up of who is in control, after all, he uses sex, but she also bonks him on the head with a candlestick, and threatens to kill him with a steak knife.

However, this is a romance novel, albeit a dark and stormy one, so there is a happy ending for Em and Thomas, two lonely and miserable souls who find love-and each other-in spite of their harrowing beginning. A keeper for me, as are all of this talented and daring author's works.

This book was mentioned in passing on the romance forum. Since I am always looking for new writers, I thought I would give it a try-despite the decidedly mixed reviews on Amazon. I am so glad I did.

I simply loved, loved, loved this book. The characters, point of view and place in time were well drawn. I found the passion belivalbe and as well as the way it slowly grew into something greater.

I liked the way the story unfolded. In the beginning of the book, Esmeralda/Merry/Em was as mysterious to the reader as she was to Lord Hyde. Who was this woman? He and the reader were enraptured.

Lord Hyde/Thomas was unlike any hero I have seen in a long time. I was hooked from their first shocking encounter. What kind of man would do such a thing? Strange? Yes, but intriguing all the same. I was hooked and could not look away.

I was struck how the writer injected humor into sometimes strange and potentially off putting scenarios. Their first sex scene and Edington's discovery in the valet's quarters were both tricky set-ups that could ruin most books. The writer's handling of both scenes showed the reader that they were in expert hands. They also put the reader on notice to expect the unexpected.

I am a fan. I look forward to reading more works by Lydia Joyce.

Somehow this tale oa a rapist hero received 4.5 stars from Romantic Times reviewer. Wish I had my money back.

I couldn't put this book down, even sitting by the pool on the weekend, a setting in complete opposition to this book. It reminded me of Joanna Bourne's Spy series, but much darker. If you want a little light relief in your romance, this is not for you, but sometimes I like them intense, and this delivers.

Esmeralda is a mysterious spiritualist who has been welcomed into the homes of London's upper crust. But her presence is provoking to Lord Varcourt, as his mother engages Esmeralda's supposed gifts. Intent on finding out her secrets, Varcourt follows her home and uses sex as a weapon to bend her to his will. What follows leads to an agreement between enemies that becomes an erotically charged battle of wills and desires.

In this noir-esque romance, mysteries pile upon mysteries. Varcourt and Esmeralda fight their dark needs for one another as they work together to find resolutions to the secrets that have haunted them both. With several scenes of forced seduction, this isn't for the faint of heart. But Ms. Joyce handles the fine line between love and hate, pain and lust, with a deft hand. For those who like their historicals with a bit of an edge to them, Wicked Intentions will tease and tempt the reader along with the two protagonists.

Niki Lee
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I put this book down several times and wondered if I wanted to even try to finish it, and I did eventually. This story doesn't start out well. The mystery is not framed well and circumstances and characters are not explained clearly. Also, both the hero and heroine were completely unlikable for the first 2/3s of the book. Neither were their characters well developed. Their "romance" was competely unbelievable because they hated one another, and were a bit abusive to one another as well. I was wondering if this was intentionally some type of s/m romance at that point. The story became somewhat interesting in about the last 1/3, but I still found myself wanting to skim some parts. Also, the ending just seemed unrealistic because of the whole story. Did the characters suddenly become likable people? I'm just not sure I'm buying that. The mystery had more potential, but as it is, just not enough to recommend.